Within a method for electrical test testing a series of microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a microelectronic frabrication substrate, there is first electrical probe tested the series of microelectronic fabrication die to determine at least one sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die. Each electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die within the at least one sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die is then electrical probe retested, but electrically unacceptable microelectronic fabrication die within corresponding sub-series of electrically unacceptable microelectronic fabrication die are not.
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1. A method for electrically testing a series of microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a microelectronic fabrication substrate comprising:
providing a microelectronic fabrication substrate having fabricated therein a series of microelectronic fabrication die; electrically testing within the microelectronic fabrication substrate the series of microelectronic fabrication die while employing an electrical probe apparatus which sequentially repositions an electrical probe head which accommodates at least one microelectronic fabrication die within the series of microelectronic fabrication die when electrically testing each of the microelectronic fabrication die within the series of microelectronic fabrication die to thus determine from the series of microelectronic fabrication die at least one sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die; and electrically retesting only the at least one sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die.
9. A method for electrically testing a series of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication substrate wafer comprising:
providing a semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication substrate wafer having fabricated therein a series of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die; electrically testing within the semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication substrate wafer the series of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die while employing an electrical probe apparatus which sequentially repositions an electrical probe head which accommodates at least one semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die within the series of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die when electrically testing each of the semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die within the series of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die to thus determine from the series of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die at least one sub-series of electrically acceptable semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die; and electrically retesting only the at least one sub-series of electrically acceptable semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die.
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This application is related to co-assigned and identically titled application Ser. No. 09/942,395, filed Aug. 29, 2001, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein fully by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical probe apparatus electrical test methods for electrical test testing microelectronic fabrication die. More particularly, the present invention relates to electrical probe apparatus electrical test methods for accurately and efficiently electrically test testing microelectronic fabrication die.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microelectronic fabrications are formed from microelectronic substrates over which are formed patterned microelectronic conductor layers which are separated by microelectronic dielectric layers.
Integral to the fabrication of microelectronic fabrications, and in particular to the fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrications, is the electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die. The electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die may occur: (1) during various stages incident to the ongoing fabrication of microelectronic fabrication substrates, as is generally understood to encompass in-line electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die; as well as (2) subsequent to completion of fabrication of microelectronic fabrication substrates, as is generally understood to encompass final electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die. Within either in-line electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die or final electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die there is typically and preferably employed an electrical probe apparatus electrical test method which provides for electrical probe apparatus electrical test testing of various microelectronic devices and/or various microelectronic circuits within a plurality of microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a microelectronic fabrication substrate.
While in-line electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die and final electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die while employing electrical probe apparatus electrical test methods are both of considerable interest and of considerable importance to the goal of fabricating fully functional and fully reliable microelectronic fabrication die, both in-line electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die and final electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die while employing electrical probe apparatus electrical test methods are nonetheless not entirely without problems with respect to the goal of fabricating fully functional and fully reliable microelectronic fabrication die. In that regard, both in-line electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die and final electrical test testing of microelectronic fabrication die while employing electrical probe apparatus electrical test methods are often not entirely accurate when fabricating microelectronic fabrication die and often require a considerable expenditure of microelectronic fabrication processing resources when fabricating microelectronic fabrication die. Such processing resources may include, but are not limited to, microelectronic fabrication cycle time processing resources, microelectronic fabrication tooling processing resources and microelectronic fabrication direct labor processing resources. Such electrical test testing inaccuracy and considerable expenditure of microelectronic fabrication processing resources in turn increases, in general, microelectronic fabrication production costs when fabricating microelectronic fabrication die.
It is thus desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication to provide electrical test methods for more accurately and efficiently electrical test testing microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within microelectronic fabrication substrates.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
Various methods, systems and apparatus for electrical test testing microelectronic fabrications, such as to realize desirable results incident to electrical test testing microelectronic fabrications, have been disclosed in the art of microelectronic fabrication.
Included among the methods, systems and apparatus, but not limited among the methods, systems and apparatus, are methods, systems and apparatus disclosed within: (1) Shibata, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,737 (an electrical probe apparatus electrical test method which provides for arranging indexing regions within a microelectronic fabrication substrate such as to minimize indexing and non-contact with respect to microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within the microelectronic fabrication substrate); (2) Song, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,951 (a wafer map conversion method which provides for enhanced transcription of electrical probe apparatus electrical test data obtained for a microelectronic fabrication die and forwarded to a microelectronic die bonding apparatus employed for bonding the microelectronic fabrication die); (3) Stubblefield et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,101 (an electrical probe apparatus electrical test method which provides for an immediate retesting of an apparent electrically unacceptable microelectronic fabrication die prior to repositioning an electrical probe apparatus electrical test head employed for electrical test testing the microelectronic fabrication die); (4) Ozaki, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,403 (a test data system and a test data method which provide for linking and superposition of a plurality of types of test data, such as electrical test data, obtained at various stages in fabrication of a series of microelectronic fabrication die).; and (5) (a) Crispin et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,277; (b) Okajima, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,838; and (c) Di Zenzo et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,442 (a series of methods and microelectronic structures which provide for intrinsically storing electrical probe apparatus electrical test data within an electrically programmable device portion of a microelectronic fabrication die).
Desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication are additional electrical test methods which may be employed for more accurately and efficiently electrical test testing microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within microelectronic fabrication substrates.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an electrical test method for electrical test testing a series of micorelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a microelectronic fabrication substrate.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an electrical test method in accord with the first object of the present invention, wherein the series microelectronic fabrication die is more accurately and efficiently electrical test tested.
A third object of the present invention is to provide an electrical test method in accord with the first object of the present invention and the second object of the present invention, wherein the electrical test method is readily commercially implemented.
In accord with the objects of the present invention, there is provided by the present invention an electrical test method for electrical test testing a series of microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a microelectronic fabrication substrate.
To practice the method of the present invention, there is first provided a microelectronic fabrication substrate having fabricated therein a series of microelectronic fabrication die. There is then electrical test tested within the microelectronic fabrication substrate the series of microelectronic fabrication die while employing an electrical probe apparatus which sequentially repositions an electrical probe head which accommodates at least one microelectronic fabrication die within the series of microelectronic fabrication die when electrical test testing each of the microelectronic fabrication die within the series of microelectronic fabrication die to thus determine from the series of microelectronic fabrication die at least one sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die. Finally, there is then electrical test retested only the at least one subseries of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die.
There is provided by the present invention an electrical test method for electrical test testing a series of microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a microelectronic fabrication substrate, wherein the series of microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within the microelectronic fabrication substrate is more accurately and efficiently electrical test tested.
The present invention realizes the foregoing object by employing an electrical probe apparatus electrical test method which provides for: (1) an electrical probe head electrical test testing of each of a series of microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a microelectronic fabrication substrate to determine at least one sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die within the microelectronic fabrication substrate; followed by (2) electrical test retesting of only the at least one series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die within the microelectronic fabrication substrate.
The method of the present invention is readily commercially implemented. The present invention employs apparatus and systems as are generally known in the art of microelectronic fabrication, but employed at least in part within the context of a novel methodology which provides at least in part the present invention. Since it is thus at least in part a specific methodology which provides at least in part the present invention, rather than the existence of specific apparatus and systems which provides the present invention, the method of the present invention is readily commercially implemented.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention are understood within the context of the Description of the Preferred Embodiment, as set forth below. The Description of the Preferred Embodiment is understood within the context of the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure, wherein:
There is provided by the present invention an electrical test method for electrical test testing a microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a microelectronic fabrication substrate, wherein the microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within the microelectronic fabrication substrate is more accurately and efficiently tested.
The present invention realizes the foregoing object by employing an electrical probe apparatus electrical test method which provides for: (1) an electrical probe head electrical test testing of each of a series of microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a microelectronic fabrication substrate to determine at least one sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die within the microelectronic fabrication substrate; followed by (2) electrical test retesting of only the at least one sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die within the microelectronic fabrication substrate.
Although the present invention provides particular value when electrical test testing, with enhanced accuracy and enhanced efficiency, a series of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die within a semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication substrate wafer, the present invention may be employed for electrical test testing, with enhanced accuracy and enhanced efficiency, various series of microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within various microelectronic fabrication substrates employed within various microelectronic fabrications. Such microelectronic fabrications may include, but are not limited to, integrated circuit microelectronic fabrications, ceramic substrate microelectronic fabrications, solar cell optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications, sensor image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications and display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications.
Referring now to
Shown in
Within the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and in general in accord with the disclosure above, the microelectronic fabrication substrate may be employed within a microelectronic fabrication selected from the group including but not limited to integrated circuit microelectronic fabrications, ceramic substrate microelectronic fabrications, solar cell optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications, sensor image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications and display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications. More preferably, and in specific in accord with the disclosure above, the present invention is more preferably employed with respect to electrical test testing a series of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication substrate wafer.
Referring again to
Within the preferred embodiment of the present invention with respect to the electrical probe apparatus and the electrical probe head, the electrical probe apparatus and the electrical probe head may be of a construction as is otherwise generally conventional in the art of microelectronic fabrication, including but not limited to a construction which provides a physical contact of the electrical probe head with the sub-set of the series of microelectronic fabrication die and a construction which provides a non-physical (i.e., inductive) contact of the electrical probe head with the sub-set of the series of microelectronic fabrication die.
Similarly, within the preferred embodiment of the present invention with respect to the sub-set of the series of microelectronic fabrication die with respect to which the electrical probe head within the electrical probe apparatus is positioned, although the sub-set of the series of microelectronic fabrication die is typically and preferably a single microelectronic fabrication die, the present invention also contemplates an electrical probe head sized and fabricated such as to accommodate a simultaneous electrical probe testing of more than one microelectronic fabrication die.
Referring again to
Referring again to
If each of the microelectronic fabrication die within the series of microelectronic fabrication die has not been electrical probe tested, and in accord with a repetitive loop which includes the blocks which correspond with reference numeral 50, reference numeral 30 and reference numeral 40, the electrical probe head within the electrical probe apparatus is repetitively repositioned to a new sub-set of the series of microelectronic fabrication die and the new sub-sets of the series of microelectronic fabrication die are electrical probe tested until such time as all of the series of microelectronic fabrication die have been electrical probe tested.
Referring again to
Referring again to
Referring again to
Similarly with the initial electrical probe testing of the multiple sub-sets of the series of microelectronic fabrication die in accord with the blocks which correspond with reference numerals 20, 30, 40 and 50, within the blocks which correspond with reference numerals 70 and 80 it is typical and preferred that the sub-sets of the sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die which are electrical probe retested comprise a single electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die. However, the present invention also does not preclude simultaneous electrical test retesting of a sub-set of the sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die which comprises multiple electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die.
Referring again to
If all electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die within the sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die have not been electrical probe retested, and in accord with a repetitive loop which includes the blocks which correspond with reference numerals 100, 80 and 90, the electrical probe head is sequentially and repetitively repositioned and electrical probe tests are sequentially and repetitively undertaken until such time as all of the sub-sets of the sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die within the sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die have been electrical probe retested. At such point in time, the preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention as illustrated in conjunction with the algorithmic flow diagram of
As is noted above, the present invention provides that none of the electrically unacceptable microelectronic fabrication die within the series of microelectronic fabrication die is electrical probe retested, but all of the electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die from within the series of microelectronic fabrication die are preferably electrical probe retested.
As is understood by a person skilled in the art, by electrical probe retesting only the series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die, but not the series of electrically unacceptable microelectronic fabrication die, there is provided enhanced efficiency when electrical probe testing a series of microelectronic fabrication die fabricated within a microelectronic fabrication substrate. Such enhanced efficiency is effected in particular under circumstances where there is a generally enhanced failure rate for a particular type of microelectronic fabrication die, a cumulative stress induced failure rate for the particular type of microelectronic fabrication die, and/or a significant number of the particular type of microelectronic fabrication die that need be electrical test tested.
Thus, for reasons as noted above, the method of the present invention as outlined within the algorithmic flow diagram of
As is further understood by a person skilled in the art, and for exemplary purposes, within the context of the electrical probe testing of the sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die within the microelectronic fabrication substrate and the electrical probe retesting of each of the electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die within the sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die, there may be determined from the electrical probe testing data a wafer map which in turn may be employed for identifying electrically acceptable die for pick and place (or other) purposes when further fabricating electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die parted from a microelectronic fabrication substrate into microelectronic fabrication packages.
Examples of wafer maps which may be obtained within the context of the present invention are shown within the schematic diagrams of
As shown within the schematic diagram of
Similarly, within the schematic diagram of
Finally, there is shown in
As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the method for merging wafer maps as illustrated within the progression of the wafer maps from
Similarly, while the preferred embodiment and example of the present invention illustrate the present invention within the context of a first electrical test testing of a complete series of microelectronic fabrication die and a second electrical test testing of only a sub-series of electrically acceptable microelectronic fabrication die, additional and sequential electrical test retesting of sequentially remaining numbers of sequentially retested microelectronic fabrication die is also within the context of the present invention.
As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the preferred embodiment and example of the present invention are illustrative of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. Revisions and modifications may be made to apparatus and systems which are employed within the context of the preferred embodiment and example of the present invention while still providing a method in accord with the present invention, further in accord with the accompanying claims.
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